From Marion Boddy-Evans,
Your Guide to Painting.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

The most important requirements for painting a wall mural are enthusiasm for the project and stamina. You're painting a large area and it's going to take a while, but the rewards make it worthwhile. If you've never painted a mural before, don't panic. You'll simply be applying the painting skills you do have from your 'normal' painting. Be inspired by the murals of the greats such as Leonardo da Vinci and remember that in past centuries mural painting was more highly regarded than easel painting!

How to Prepare a Surface for a Wall Mural
Thoroughly clean the wall to remove any dust and grease, and leave it to dry. Consider applying a fresh coat of paint or primer before you begin your design, especially if there are color variations on the wall.

How to Get Your Mural Design on the Wall
The easiest way to transfer your mural design to the wall is to use the grid method. As you become more experienced, you'll likely find you sketch the design out in less detail on the wall.

Simply put, to grid a design, you draw a set of 1" or 5cm squares across your original design and then a grid on the wall that's got the same number of squares but obviously they're considerably larger. You then use the squares to guide you as you redraw the design on the wall. (See also: How to Grid from About's Drawing Guide and The Grid Method by muralist Doug Myerscough.)

What Paint to Use for a Wall Mural
If the mural is going to be exposed to the sun, you'll need paint that'll stand up to this. Check the lightfastness (UV) qualities of the paint you're going to use.

Quality acrylic mural paints are the ideal, but check your budget as they may work out too expensive for the whole mural. If this is the case, use them for the details and 'ordinary' household paint for blocking in the under layers or large areas. Choose paint with a matt or eggshell finish so light doesn't reflect off the mural.

If your wall mural is accessible to small children with their inevitable sticky fingers, protect the mural with a final coat of protective clear varnish, which also makes cleaning it simple.

Tips for Painting a Wall Mural

• Remember to step back regularly and see what the mural looks like from a distance. A wall mural must 'look right' whether you're close-up or just entered the room. Step back to get some perspective on what you've done.
• Use decent brushes; cheap ones will make it even harder work.[
• For loads of useful info, read this mural painting information sheet from Golden Paints. It's aimed at exterior murals, but is relevant to interior murals too.